Lunch box



Feb. 26 1924. 1,484,882

E. E. GRAY LUNCH BOX Filed March 19. 1923 ?atented Feb. 26, 1924.

tsetse STATES 1,484,882 PATENT oFFicE.

EDWARD E. GRAY, OF PLANO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR T0 LINSLEY S. GRAY ANDEDWARD I E. GRAY, T3,, BOTH 0F PLANO, ILLINOIS, COPARTNERSDOING BUSINESSAS GRAY BROTHERS.

LUNCH BOX.

Application filed March 19, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GRAY, a" citizen of the United States, anda resident of Plano, in the county of Kendall and State of Illinois,have invented an Improved Lunch Box, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to lunch boxes.

The object of the invention is to provide means for supporting a thermosbottle within the cover of the box, constructed and arranged to preventaccidental displacement thereof when the cover is closed, together withimproved locking means for securing the cover of the box in closedposition, which will be particularly positive, thus preventingaccidental opening of said box with probable spilling of the contentsthereof.

To efiec't the foregoing object, a lunch box of my invention comprisesthe various features, combinations of features and details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which my invention is fullyillustrated.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a lunch box embodying my invention andimprovements, showing the cover thereof closed.

Figure 2 is an end view thereof, showing, in dotted lines, a thermosbottle supported therein.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of my improved box on the line 33 of Fig.2, the thermos bottle being shown in side view; and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views on lines44=, 55 and 66 of Fig. 1, respectively, the means for securing the coverin closed position being shown disengaged in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates the body portion of the boxand B the cover thereof, said cover fitting over the upper edge of thebody of the box and its position thereon being defined by shouldersformed parallel with its lateral edges adapted to rest upon the upperedges of the lateral sides of the body portion of the box, in a usualmanner.

Both the bod portion and the cover of the box are made 0 metal, usuallytinplate.

The end walls of the body portion A of the box extend above the sidewalls thereof, as shown at 1, and are shaped to conform Serial No.625,982.

substantially to the shape in cross-section of the cover of the box,being proportioned so as to fit within the same.

Formed on the projecting upper portions 1 of the end Walls of the bodyportion A of the box, are lugs or brackets 2- and' 3 adapted to formsupports for a thermos bottle 4, shown as resting upon the same. Saidbrackets 2 and 3 can conveniently be formed by stamping them directlyfrom the upper end portions of the body of the box, and theeover of thebox is made of such shape in cross-section and is so proportioned thatwhen secured to the body portion of the box, it will confine saidthermos bottle in position on said supporting lugs 2 and 3. As shown,the upper portion of the cover B of the box in which the thermos bottle4 is confined, is formed on the arc of a circle sub stantiallyconcentric with and slightly larger than the thermos bottle supportedonthe lu s or brackets 2 and 3.

ith the described construction, itis obvious that when the cover B ofthe box is adjusted to the body portion thereof, it'will securely holdthe thermos bottle in position on the brackets 2 and 3.

here the thermos bottle is larger at one end than at the other, as isusually the case, the lug 2 on which the smaller end of the thermosbottle rests, is preferably formed at a sufficient distance above thelugs 3 which supports the larger end of the bottle, so that the sides ofsaid bottle will be substantially parallel with the circular upper sideof the box cover B.

In the preferable construction shown, the cover B of the box is adaptedto be secured to the body portion A thereof by suitable catches adaptedfor engaging opposite ends of the cove-r with the upwardly extendingprojections 1 of the end walls of the body portion of the box. Saidcatches are duplicates of each other, and a description of one thereofwill apply equally to both. Accordingly, the description of said catchesis in the singular.

A preferable form of catch for securing the cover in position consistsof a strip of sheet metal 5, slidably fitted to a bearing formed at theend of the box cover, which comprises downwardly and inwardly turnedsections 6 and 7, the section 6 forming a connection between the section7 and the main portion 5 of the catch. The section 7 forms the catchproper, and is adapted to engage holes 8 and 9 formed in the end wall ofthe cover and in the upwardly extending portions 1 of the end walls ofthe box, the relation being such that engagement and disengagement ofthe catch 7 with and from the holes 8 and 9 may be effected by endwisemovement of the main supporting section 5 of said catch.

As shown, the slide bearing for the main supporting section 5 of thecatch is formed by a struck-up portion 10 of a plate 11 secured to thebox cover. When the plate 11 is secured to the box cover, the wallthereof will close the open side of the bearing in said plate and thusconfine the slide section 5 ofthe catch therein, the relation beingpreferably such that the dimension of the slide bearing corresponding tothe thickness of the slide, portion 5 of the catch will be sufiicientlygreater than the thickness of the slide section of the catch to permitlimited play of said slide section in said bearing. Said slide sectionis adapted to be secured in position corresponding to full engagement ofthe catch proper 7 with the holes 8 and 9 in the cover andbody portionsof the box, by engagement of a shoulder 12 on the slide portion 5 ofsaid catch with the inner end of the struck-up portion 10 of the bearingplate 11, such engagement of said shoulder 12 with the inner end of saidbearing plate being effected by a spring 13 secured to the box cover.beneath the slide portion of the catch. As shown, the spring 13 is aleaf spring, its outer end being riveted to the box cover in suchrelation that the free end of said .spring will be substantially evenwith the end of the struck-up portion 10 of the plate 11, designed forengagement by the shoulder 12 on the supporting section 5 of the catch.WVith this construction, it is obvious that when the shoulder 12 is inengagement with the end of the bearing plate 11, the catch will besecured substantially in positive engagement with the holes 8 and '9 inthe cover and body portion of the box,

' respectively.

Movement of the slideportion 5 of, the

catch in a direction to effect disengagement of the catch 7 from theholes in the cover andfthe body portion of the box, is limited by a stopconsisting, as shown, of the turned up inner end 141 of said slideportion, said turned up end portions also providing convenient means fordepressing said slide portions 5 of the catch against the force of thespring 13, to effect disengagement ofthe shoulder 12 on said slideportion 5 from the end of the struck-up portion 10 of the bearing plate11 and for exerting pressure on said slide portion to effectdisengagement of the catch 7 from the holes in the cover and bodyportion of the box.

In the preferable construction shown,

also, a T-head 15 is formed on the turned up section 14 of the slidesection 5 of the catch to which an end of the handle 16 on the box,whichmay conveniently be made of leather, is attached, said handle beingprovided with slots 17 for attaching the ends thereof to the T-heads 15.1

In the preferable construction shown, also, the bearing plate 11 isadapted to be secured to the cover of the box by means of iugs 18formedby stamped down portions of said plate, which extend throughandare bent back over the remote'fedges ofholes 19 formed in the box coverB in proper position. The holes forined in the bearing plate 11 bystamping out the lugs 18 preferably register with the holes 19 stampedin the box cover, thus providing ventilation for the box.

I claim 1 V 1. A lunch box comprising a body portion and a covertherefor, said cover extending above the body portion of the box andbeing of sufiicient size to contain a thermos bottle, the end walls ofthe body' portion of the box comprising portions adapted to extendupwardly into the cover of the box, means for supporting a thermosbottle on the upward extensions of said end walls, andmeans for securingthe cover to the body portion of the box, substantially as described;

2. A lunch box comprising abody portion and a cover therefor,-said coverextending above the top of'the body portion of the box and being shapedand proportioned to receivea thermos bottle and the end walls of thebody portion of the box extending 3. A'lunch box as speelfied in'claim2,1n

whichthe upwardly extending portion of the cover of the box formssubstantiallythe arc of a circle concentric withand' slightly largerthan a thermos bottle supported within the box and enclosed by the boxcover, substantially as described Y 4:. A lunch box as specified inclaim 1, in which the means for securing the cover to the body portionof the box comprises catches adapted for engagement with anddisengagement from holes formed in the end walls of the cover and in theupward projections on the end walls of the body portion of the box, andslide portions'for supporting said catches fitted to bearings on the boxcover so as to be movable endwise therein, substantially as described.

.5. A lunch box as specified in claim 4,

in which the bearings for the slide portions of the catch are formed bystruck-up portions of plates secured to the cover of the box,substantially as described.

6. A lunch box as specified in claim 4:, in which the means for securingthe cover of the box to the body portion thereof cornprises means forlocking the catches in positions corresponding to engagement of thecatches with the holes in the ends of the box cover and in the upwardprojections on the end Walls of the body portion of the box,substantially as described.

7 A lunch box as specified in claim 6, in which the means for securingthe catches in locked position, comprise shoulders on the supportingslide portions of the catches adapted to engage rigid parts of thebearing plates secured to the box cover, and springs applied to theslide portions of said catches adapted to efl'ect engagement of theshoulders thereon with said bearing plates, substantially as described.

8. A lunch box as specified in claim 7, in which the springs applied tothe slide portions of the catches are leaf springs inserted beneath theslide portions of said catches, substantially as described.

9. A lunch box as specified in claim 4, in

which the inner ends of the slide portions of the catches are turned up,forming stops which prevent disengagement of the slide portions of saidcatches from their bearings, substantially as described.

' 10. A lunch box as specified in claim 9, which comprises a handle madeof pliable material and the means for securing said handle to the boxcomprises Theads formed on the upturned ends of the slide portions ofthe catches adapted to engage slots formed in the handle, substantiallyas described.

11. A lunch box as specified in claim 5, in which the means for securingthe bearing plates for the slide portion of the catches to the box coverconsist of lugs formed by stamped out portions of said plates which arebent around the remote ends of holes formed in the box cover, the holesthus formed in said plates and cover registering with each other therebyprovidin ventilation for the box, substantially as escribed. In Witnessthat I claim the foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature this27th day of February, A. D. 1923.

EDWARD E. GRAY.

